Well-known Spine Surgeon Reveals 4 Ways to Solve the Opioid Epidemic and How the Government is Bungling It

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- So much has been written about the opioid epidemic that journalists might feel as if there is nothing more to discover; meanwhile, it is possible to think that the government is doing all it can to stop the flow of addictive drugs that The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says were misused by 10.3 million people in 2018. They are using the recent slight decline in opioid deaths as evidence their policies are working. David Hanscom, M.D., begs to differ. 

Before he quit his 32-year orthopedic surgical practice in 2018 to teach patients and medical practitioners how to solve chronic pain, he was frequently called in to surgically repair badly damaged spines from infections that originated from contaminated needles. After being denied low-level opioids that managed their pain for years, they turned to IV heroin, and the bacteria seeded the spine from the bloodstream. He sees the problem growing.

Hanscom says, "The opioid epidemic is getting worse. … In fact, current efforts to reduce opioid prescribing are exacerbating the problem. Although I agree with more careful prescribing practices, it isn't the answer to the epidemic."

In an interview, Hanscom can talk about what can be done to truly solve the problem of chronic pain. He can expand upon:

• Why physicians must first solve the issue of chronic pain. Ironically, medical research has identified clear solutions mainstream medicine is not implementing
• The real reason people turn to opioids: rather than physical pain, it's mental pain
• The role family dynamics play in chronic pain is ignored. Physicians need to spend more time listening to patients and focusing on their real problems.
• We must do a better job of making best practices for treating chronic pain--practices that don't just mask symptoms--available to everyone

About David Hanscom

David Hanscom, M.D., is a renowned spine surgeon. His revolutionary approach to treating chronic pain has helped hundreds of patients live pain-free. His pioneering first book, Back in Control: A Surgeon's Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain, showed chronic pain sufferers how to quiet a turbocharged central nervous system, relieve the anxiety that is the chronic pain, and make a full recovery. In addition to being a best-selling author, he is a frequent guest on TV and radio programs and is a sought-after speaker at medical conferences around the world. His most recent book is Do You Really Need Spine Surgery?Take Control with a Surgeon's Advice.

Contact: Beth Grossman, (212) 949-4071; [email protected]; www.backincontrol.com

SOURCE David Hanscom